Open Eyes

Product Notes

The band art2o convinces the audience with independent music, an innovative production and an outstanding female voice. Their album 'Open Eyes' touches with depth and quality. Who are the musicians behind that all? What does art2o mean? Luke: Art2o means: always remain true to oneself. Why is it important to have such a name for a band in the music business? Being successful also means to sell a bit of oneself or don't you think so? Thomas: No, I don't think so. You have to make compromises of course but you always have to be sure of what you want and how far you are ready to go without losing yourself. For us it's the most important to stand for what we do. That goes for our music, our lyrics and also for what we represent. Jasmin: And I think it starts with the name. Luke: To sell yourself also means to show too much of your privacy in public what I don't want. Thomas: I am even convinced that only the one who remains true to oneself will be successful at the end. I never heard of art2o before. But with the exceptional voice of Jasmin we should have heard of you playing live before. How come we didn't? Jasmin: I sang live in different bands several times and I also had a solo role in the musical 'Melissa'. We had a few concerts during my musical education as well. But I never sang live with art2o. This band and the album is a completely new beginning for us. Why is the album "Open Eyes' a new beginning? Luke: "Open Eyes" is the result of something started back in 1996. At that time some of the songs came into being or at least ideas of a few of the songs which are on the album now. In the meantime a lot has happened. That sounds interesting! Jasmin: First only Thomas and I composed songs and recorded them on tapes. After a short while Luke joined us. Eventually in 1998 we played our music as a band with a drummer and another guitar player. Due to many changes of musicians (I guess almost every band knows this problem) and different views of music styles our music suffered from a lack of continuity. It only cost us a lot of energy and time. Therefore we decided to go ahead only the three of us Thomas: We all changed during this process and also developed our kind of playing music and that's why we gave us also a new name. Did you never intend to join a casting show on television, Jasmin? Jasmin: Well, I thought of it but in the end I was convinced that this wouldn't be the right way for me. I am a band musician not a solo artist. Working and creating new songs together means much more to me than success and being famous at any price. Luke: A good voice is an important qualification for success but it's not enough. The whole has to fit - voice - music - lyrics - concept - design - attitude. You cannot learn that in a casting show. There it's only important to be successful and become famous instead of playing good music. That's a short-term thinking and the only winner is the label industry who gets the money. Your music and lyrics are mostly melancholy. Why that? Thomas: Our music and lyrics reflect the world as we see it. Unfortunately it's not a very nice and peaceful world we live in. Jasmin: The song "Open Eyes" describes the appreciation of the small things and as a result of that the awareness of what I really want in my life. Only the brave ones try to let their dreams come true and live - more or less - the life they want to live to. The song 'You are my Life' tells about the experiences and feelings of a mother. On one hand the true and deep love for the kids on the other hand the dependence of them with all the negative aspects as well. What is your attitude towards life? Are you melancholic persons or optimists? Thomas: Both! That's not a contrast for me. I can really enjoy melancholia but nevertheless I am an incorrigible optimist. I wouldn't sit here and talk about our music, would I? I would have quit making music for ages. Jasmin: The famous actor and author Sir Peter Ustinov once said that optimism is a way of surviving strategy. Without it you can't live or survive on this planet. I absolutely agree with him. Certain things are very important for you as a band such as music, lyrics, attitude and your appearance. Is it art, is it culture what you make? Thomas: That's not very important for us. We must like what we do and therefore it cannot be banal. If other people like it as well and call it art or culture - why not? So what is art in your eyes? It must be unique, special and my impression should be that it's something not anyone can do. All songs are written by the band. How come these songs into being? Luke: It always starts with an idea of me by guitar or Thomas by bass. We record it on our Mac and add other instruments, sounds and of course the singing to the song. Afterwards we send the whole idea to our producer and he goes over the song as well, puts his ideas on it and sends it back to us. We then listen to this new version and add our ideas to it again. So it goes to him and back to us until the baby is born and the new song is as we want it. Martin Villiger is your producer. He mostly composes music for films and has already produced his own DVD 'The Voyage'. But he is unknown as a music producer. Why him? Jasmin: We met his wife years ago during our stay in Los Angeles. We kept in touch in Switzerland as well and also met Martin. We became very good friends and it was a logical conclusion that we are going to do something together, he likes our music and sees potential in it. What are your musical models, Luke? Luke: I mostly admire bands who are able to combine catchy melodies with power and clever arrangements. At the moment I often listen to Evanesence, Pink Floyd and The Eagles. Why do you play the guitar? Luke: As a teenager it was just the coolest thing you could do! What does music mean for you? Luke: Flying high up in the sky on the back of an eagle and just enjoying it. Jasmin, your models? Jasmin: People who make their own way through life, people with courage and people who help the weaker ones such as other people, animals or the environment. Why do you sing? Jasmin: I simply 'must' sing. I always sang as a child and I still do it in every day life. My voice, my singing that's a part of me. What does music mean for you? Jasmin: Music makes me feel good or let's me dream. To make my own music even makes me very happy. Then I knew that's what I want in life, that's where I belong. And what about you Thomas? Models? Why bass? Meaning of music? Thomas: I don't have models actually. But one of my most favourite bass player is Flea of the band 'Red Hot Chili Peppers'. Bass is an ideal mix of rhythm and melody for me. Music is like a drug for me. It's passion and I simply need it to survive. What do you want to reach with your music? Luke: Of course we want to reach a big audience with it. Firstly we want to do that by airplay. Thomas: We reach for the stars! We want the big international success they way we are. Should it come to it and that also means financial success we then want to engage us in social things. Well, in short you are very idealistic and you have ambitious goals. Is that realistic? Thomas: We can do what others can do as well. Jasmin: If you don't believe in it you better leave it. If you don't try you will never know. Well, you just live once. Besides it's not accidential that the name of our CD is 'Open Eyes'. The song of the same name on the album describes exactly that way of living... Luke: Just art2o!

The band art2o convinces the audience with independent music, an innovative production and an outstanding female voice. Their album 'Open Eyes' touches with depth and quality. Who are the musicians behind that all? What does art2o mean? Luke: Art2o means: always remain true to oneself. Why is it important to have such a name for a band in the music business? Being successful also means to sell a bit of oneself or don't you think so? Thomas: No, I don't think so. You have to make compromises of course but you always have to be sure of what you want and how far you are ready to go without losing yourself. For us it's the most important to stand for what we do. That goes for our music, our lyrics and also for what we represent. Jasmin: And I think it starts with the name. Luke: To sell yourself also means to show too much of your privacy in public what I don't want. Thomas: I am even convinced that only the one who remains true to oneself will be successful at the end. I never heard of art2o before. But with the exceptional voice of Jasmin we should have heard of you playing live before. How come we didn't? Jasmin: I sang live in different bands several times and I also had a solo role in the musical 'Melissa'. We had a few concerts during my musical education as well. But I never sang live with art2o. This band and the album is a completely new beginning for us. Why is the album "Open Eyes' a new beginning? Luke: "Open Eyes" is the result of something started back in 1996. At that time some of the songs came into being or at least ideas of a few of the songs which are on the album now. In the meantime a lot has happened. That sounds interesting! Jasmin: First only Thomas and I composed songs and recorded them on tapes. After a short while Luke joined us. Eventually in 1998 we played our music as a band with a drummer and another guitar player. Due to many changes of musicians (I guess almost every band knows this problem) and different views of music styles our music suffered from a lack of continuity. It only cost us a lot of energy and time. Therefore we decided to go ahead only the three of us Thomas: We all changed during this process and also developed our kind of playing music and that's why we gave us also a new name. Did you never intend to join a casting show on television, Jasmin? Jasmin: Well, I thought of it but in the end I was convinced that this wouldn't be the right way for me. I am a band musician not a solo artist. Working and creating new songs together means much more to me than success and being famous at any price. Luke: A good voice is an important qualification for success but it's not enough. The whole has to fit - voice - music - lyrics - concept - design - attitude. You cannot learn that in a casting show. There it's only important to be successful and become famous instead of playing good music. That's a short-term thinking and the only winner is the label industry who gets the money. Your music and lyrics are mostly melancholy. Why that? Thomas: Our music and lyrics reflect the world as we see it. Unfortunately it's not a very nice and peaceful world we live in. Jasmin: The song "Open Eyes" describes the appreciation of the small things and as a result of that the awareness of what I really want in my life. Only the brave ones try to let their dreams come true and live - more or less - the life they want to live to. The song 'You are my Life' tells about the experiences and feelings of a mother. On one hand the true and deep love for the kids on the other hand the dependence of them with all the negative aspects as well. What is your attitude towards life? Are you melancholic persons or optimists? Thomas: Both! That's not a contrast for me. I can really enjoy melancholia but nevertheless I am an incorrigible optimist. I wouldn't sit here and talk about our music, would I? I would have quit making music for ages. Jasmin: The famous actor and author Sir Peter Ustinov once said that optimism is a way of surviving strategy. Without it you can't live or survive on this planet. I absolutely agree with him. Certain things are very important for you as a band such as music, lyrics, attitude and your appearance. Is it art, is it culture what you make? Thomas: That's not very important for us. We must like what we do and therefore it cannot be banal. If other people like it as well and call it art or culture - why not? So what is art in your eyes? It must be unique, special and my impression should be that it's something not anyone can do. All songs are written by the band. How come these songs into being? Luke: It always starts with an idea of me by guitar or Thomas by bass. We record it on our Mac and add other instruments, sounds and of course the singing to the song. Afterwards we send the whole idea to our producer and he goes over the song as well, puts his ideas on it and sends it back to us. We then listen to this new version and add our ideas to it again. So it goes to him and back to us until the baby is born and the new song is as we want it. Martin Villiger is your producer. He mostly composes music for films and has already produced his own DVD 'The Voyage'. But he is unknown as a music producer. Why him? Jasmin: We met his wife years ago during our stay in Los Angeles. We kept in touch in Switzerland as well and also met Martin. We became very good friends and it was a logical conclusion that we are going to do something together, he likes our music and sees potential in it. What are your musical models, Luke? Luke: I mostly admire bands who are able to combine catchy melodies with power and clever arrangements. At the moment I often listen to Evanesence, Pink Floyd and The Eagles. Why do you play the guitar? Luke: As a teenager it was just the coolest thing you could do! What does music mean for you? Luke: Flying high up in the sky on the back of an eagle and just enjoying it. Jasmin, your models? Jasmin: People who make their own way through life, people with courage and people who help the weaker ones such as other people, animals or the environment. Why do you sing? Jasmin: I simply 'must' sing. I always sang as a child and I still do it in every day life. My voice, my singing that's a part of me. What does music mean for you? Jasmin: Music makes me feel good or let's me dream. To make my own music even makes me very happy. Then I knew that's what I want in life, that's where I belong. And what about you Thomas? Models? Why bass? Meaning of music? Thomas: I don't have models actually. But one of my most favourite bass player is Flea of the band 'Red Hot Chili Peppers'. Bass is an ideal mix of rhythm and melody for me. Music is like a drug for me. It's passion and I simply need it to survive. What do you want to reach with your music? Luke: Of course we want to reach a big audience with it. Firstly we want to do that by airplay. Thomas: We reach for the stars! We want the big international success they way we are. Should it come to it and that also means financial success we then want to engage us in social things. Well, in short you are very idealistic and you have ambitious goals. Is that realistic? Thomas: We can do what others can do as well. Jasmin: If you don't believe in it you better leave it. If you don't try you will never know. Well, you just live once. Besides it's not accidential that the name of our CD is 'Open Eyes'. The song of the same name on the album describes exactly that way of living... Luke: Just art2o!